A Man With A Big Problem: The Globe’s Shaughnessy

Wednesday

Jul 2, 2014 at 12:25 PMJul 2, 2014 at 1:41 PM

It’s not enough that Dan Shaughnessy and Ann Coulter think alike and share notes, it’s the deep hatred he seems to have in his heart for IT that stands out in his recent writings. He seems to be haunted by IT to the point of shrillness. I’ve wondered why he’s so bothered and irritated that some millions of us are really enjoying IT. He made need some time off because IT appears to have driven him to the cusp of some type of breakdown. The guys in my time with his type problem used to be able to go to Chit Chat Farm to get straightened out; I wonder if it is still open or whether there are other places for people to go who go bonkers because a lot of people enjoy something they don’t. IT is the World Cup. Yesterday I anxiously waited for the U.S. game against Belgium. Since I’m laid up with a back problem I also had a chance to watch the earlier game where Swiss played Argentina. Both games provided all the tension and excitement one could want in a sporting event. Argentina scored its winning goal after 118 minutes, two minutes before the shoot out; Belgium went up two goals in the extra time and then with six minutes left the U.S. came roaring back with one and closely missed the tie. The U.S. goal tender Tim Howard set a World Cup records for saves. I never played soccer. The games I have watched on television aside from World Cup games I can count on one hand. I attended an Ireland/Italy World Cup game in New Jersey and a Revolutions game in Foxboro. So I’m no big fan. It’s beauty for me lies in the continual nonstop play (unlike watching an NFL game which involves watching more commercials than action); the skillfulness of the foot work; the pin point passing and its huge unpredictability. Here’s Shaughnessy’s take. On June 22 he told us: “ I choose to ignore the World Cup on television. Please don’t hate me.” In today’s column he writes: “The US came darn close to tying Belgium in extra time and it would have been thrilling to watch the final seconds tick away if I actually had known how much time was remaining.” For a guy who was going to ignore it, it seems he like tens of millions of other Americans did watch it. And I’d suggest if he paid attention rather than looking with loathing eyes he could easily have know how much time was left. Here are some of his other gems: “ . . . the overrated sport of soccer” “Last month , the Americans won their first game of this wildly overhyped tournament. “ “ . . . according to Soccer Sycophants we are supposed to celebrate this team like Charles Lindberg . . “ “ Because it is soccer . . . the Beautiful Game . . . the nil nil game . . . “ “Thank God we now can ignore the World Cup and get on with our lives. , , , At least we won’t have to listen to the pretentious, soccer-boosting, apologetic coverage from ESPN. When it comes to the World Cup, the Worldwide Leader is downright NESN-esque.” “The World Cup will go on without us. But we will not care. And we won’t have to listen to any more elitist soccer proselytizing.” “My anecdotal data indicates that there is no group with more conviction and less sense of humor than soccer fans. They are angry and firm in their insistence that theirs is the best game. Anyone who disputes this is dismissed as a xenophobic idiot.” Speaking of xenophobic idiot . . .

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It’s not enough that Dan Shaughnessy and Ann Coulter think alike and share notes, it’s the deep hatred he seems to have in his heart for IT that stands out in his recent writings. He seems to be haunted by IT to the point of shrillness. I’ve wondered why he’s so bothered and irritated that some millions of us are really enjoying IT. He made need some time off because IT appears to have driven him to the cusp of some type of breakdown. The guys in my time with his type problem used to be able to go to Chit Chat Farm to get straightened out; I wonder if it is still open or whether there are other places for people to go who go bonkers because a lot of people enjoy something they don’t. IT is the World Cup. Yesterday I anxiously waited for the U.S. game against Belgium. Since I’m laid up with a back problem I also had a chance to watch the earlier game where Swiss played Argentina. Both games provided all the tension and excitement one could want in a sporting event. Argentina scored its winning goal after 118 minutes, two minutes before the shoot out; Belgium went up two goals in the extra time and then with six minutes left the U.S. came roaring back with one and closely missed the tie. The U.S. goal tender Tim Howard set a World Cup records for saves. I never played soccer. The games I have watched on television aside from World Cup games I can count on one hand. I attended an Ireland/Italy World Cup game in New Jersey and a Revolutions game in Foxboro. So I’m no big fan. It’s beauty for me lies in the continual nonstop play (unlike watching an NFL game which involves watching more commercials than action); the skillfulness of the foot work; the pin point passing and its huge unpredictability. Here’s Shaughnessy’s take. On June 22 he told us: “ I choose to ignore the World Cup on television. Please don’t hate me.” In today’s column he writes: “The US came darn close to tying Belgium in extra time and it would have been thrilling to watch the final seconds tick away if I actually had known how much time was remaining.” For a guy who was going to ignore it, it seems he like tens of millions of other Americans did watch it. And I’d suggest if he paid attention rather than looking with loathing eyes he could easily have know how much time was left. Here are some of his other gems: “ . . . the overrated sport of soccer” “Last month , the Americans won their first game of this wildly overhyped tournament. “ “ . . . according to Soccer Sycophants we are supposed to celebrate this team like Charles Lindberg . . “ “ Because it is soccer . . . the Beautiful Game . . . the nil nil game . . . “ “Thank God we now can ignore the World Cup and get on with our lives. , , , At least we won’t have to listen to the pretentious, soccer-boosting, apologetic coverage from ESPN. When it comes to the World Cup, the Worldwide Leader is downright NESN-esque.” “The World Cup will go on without us. But we will not care. And we won’t have to listen to any more elitist soccer proselytizing.” “My anecdotal data indicates that there is no group with more conviction and less sense of humor than soccer fans. They are angry and firm in their insistence that theirs is the best game. Anyone who disputes this is dismissed as a xenophobic idiot.” Speaking of xenophobic idiot . . .

Related PostsBack To Baghdad?...
The Quest Ends: Why Alan Dershowitz Has Such Animosity Toward William Bulger...
Will John O’Brien Be Convicted For Not Being A Nice Guy?...